(FYI: I was a HUGE fan of the SHAZAM! Saturday morning TV series back in the mid-1970s. My mom even made me a homemade Captain Marvel costume!)

Per THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER, SHAZAM! will commence filming early next year (2018) with a 2019 release planned. David F. Sandberg (ANNABELLE: CREATION) will direct the film for WB’s New Line division.

The trade says that it’s unclear if Dwayne John will play Black Adam in SHAZAM! The Rock is for sure producing and starring in BLACK ADAM, which, of course, is part of the Shazam cinematic universe (SCU, for short).

Regardless of what The Rock has suggested previously, I still wonder if SHAZAM! and BLACK ADAM will be part of the DCEU, as both are still New Line projects. If they’re going to be part of the DCEU, why not move them over to Warner Bros. proper? Personally, I’m hoping that these two films – and potential sequels and spin-offs (A Captain Marvel Family film – why not?), stay within in their own little Shazam universe. AND…

SHAZAM! should be a PG film. I don’t see any reason for it to be PG-13 or for it to be edgy and dark – but that’s just me. Isn’t there room in this golden age of superhero/comic book films for something that’s, well, not PG-13 or R-rated, and can appeal to a wide-ranging audience age-wise, young and old?

I think so.

I’m very happy about this news and I am looking forward to covering its development here at BOF. AND...